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How can I get Rid of Body Odor?
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Body odor can be caused by a variety of circumstances or conditions. First, it’s important to know that what you smell, most often, is the presence of certain bacteria. Profuse sweating, certain foods, alcohol and cigarette smoke, or the inability to metabolize some minerals may cause excessive odor, which may be difficult to deal with only by using antiperspirant or deodorants. Not all body odor occurs under the arms; you may be dealing with feet that smell very bad, odor in the genital region, or an overall odor of the skin.
First and foremost, if you have unpleasant body odor you should be certain to shower or bathe daily, and make sure you wash your clothing after each wear. You can use deodorant soap on the arms and body, but pick a gentler soap for the face. Plan to shower after any activities that require excessive physical exertion, in addition to taking your daily shower. Change your bed linens once a week so you’re not picking up lingering smells from your sheets.
Some people find they’re able to stop odor by using deodorant or antiperspirant. It can also help to keep the underarms shaved, since hair in these areas tends to hold onto bacteria. You can remove excess bacteria by swabbing the underarms with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel before applying deodorant. Some people swear by aluminum crystal deodorant, and a dusting of baking powder can help soak up odor and sweat as well. Since all these applications can be a mess, consider deodorants that contain baking powder, aluminum, and witch hazel.
If you have trouble with feet that are smelly, consider doing an alcohol or witch hazel wash of the feet each day. Baking powder and cornstarch can help to dry sweaty feet. Furthermore you can use "odor eating" shoe inserts or sprays to help control persistent foot odor.
Sometimes, people with zinc deficiency have more body odor than normal. It can help to take a zinc supplement to see if this helps the condition. Certain foods can cause more odor too, especially foods like fish and garlic or onions, so you may want to skip these if odor is pronounced. People may have trouble digesting foods that contain choline, which include foods like eggs, fish, and beans. If you have a lot of these in your diet and are plagued with too much odor despite daily washing, consider eliminating these foods from your diet.
An astringent solution called Domeboro® helps some people. Prepackaged aluminum acetate in powdered form is mixed with water, making it easy to use over the counter. This may be helpful for those who have persistent trouble with fungal infections and other skin irritations.
Although body odor is often the result of bacteria, it can be caused by fungal infections. If you have persistent odor on the feet or in the skin folds around or in the genitals, you may have a yeast infection. If you also notice itching, see a medical professional to find out if yeast infections are the cause of the problem.
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent TheHealthBoard contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
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![It is important to shower every day to avoid body odor.]()
By: esp2kIt is important to shower every day to avoid body odor. -
![Wearing clean clothes may help to reduce body odor.]()
By: Janis SmitsWearing clean clothes may help to reduce body odor. -
![Smoking cigarettes can contribute to body odor.]()
By: Oleg ZinkovetskySmoking cigarettes can contribute to body odor. -
![Cornstarch, which can help with body odor.]()
By: vadim yerofeyevCornstarch, which can help with body odor. -
![Garlic can cause body odor.]()
By: NatikaGarlic can cause body odor. -
![Wearing deodorant can help reduce body odor.]()
By: karam miriWearing deodorant can help reduce body odor. -
![A good soap or body wash and regular showering can often combat body odor.]()
By: DessieA good soap or body wash and regular showering can often combat body odor. -
![A bottle of rubbing alcohol, which can remove bacteria from under the arms.]()
By: Gordana SermekA bottle of rubbing alcohol, which can remove bacteria from under the arms. -
![Body odor is a common and embarrassing problem.]()
By: Dušan ZidarBody odor is a common and embarrassing problem. -
![Applying pure witch hazel, from the witch hazel plant, may help get rid of body odor.]()
By: dianamowerApplying pure witch hazel, from the witch hazel plant, may help get rid of body odor. -
![Sweat must be washed away with soap and water to prevent bacteria from producing foul odors.]()
By: Iurii SokolovSweat must be washed away with soap and water to prevent bacteria from producing foul odors. -
![Alcohol, witch hazel, baking powder, and cornstarch are all things that can help combat foot odor.]()
By: maska82Alcohol, witch hazel, baking powder, and cornstarch are all things that can help combat foot odor.
Discussion Comments
@cloudel: I had the same problem. My deodorant would cause my underarms to turn red and burn if I applied it at night after a shower, so I had to come up with something else to prevent body odor.
I discovered that aloe vera gel is perfect for this. It soothes the skin that you just shaved, and somehow, it prevents odor during the night.
I'm not sure how it works, but I'm glad it does. I apply a small drop of it every night to each underarm and let it dry before putting my pajamas on, and I don't sweat or smell bad in the morning.
I'm having a problem, and I need some advice. I can't put on deodorant after a shower, because I always shave my underarms in the shower, and the deodorant irritates the skin.
I don't want to have bad armpit body odor at night, because I like to wear the same pajamas several nights in a row. Is there anything I can use at night instead of deodorant to prevent this from happening?
@Baron: I agree with you on this. It's really the bacteria, not sweat, because when I use UARMSOL even after I sweat I have no armpit odors, not even one bit. I could sweat like a dog but still no odors. Bacteria is the one and only culprit.
I had a bad body odor during my period back when I used to use pads instead of tampons. The smell of the blood on the pad would travel through my clothes, and I was afraid that others around me could smell it.
Now that I use tampons instead, I can't smell any blood at all. It's much less messy, and I don't feel self-conscious about the odor.
The only problem occurs when I forget to change the tampon in time and blood leaks onto my underwear. I can usually feel this happening before it gets too soaked, so the odor isn't as bad as it would be if I were wearing a pad.
Vaginal body odor isn't always caused by a yeast infection. There's something called bacterial vaginosis that can cause a fishy odor.
Unlike a yeast infection, it doesn't make you itch. So, it's bearable if you can put up with the odor.
This is kind of embarrassing but I want to share it in case anyone else is having the same problem. I had been dealing with a foul odor from my genital area for a while now. It was especially apparent when I urinated.
I finally found the courage to see a doctor about it last week and after some tests, I found out that I had a urinary tract infection. I've been on antibiotics for five days and the odor is already gone.
If you're experiencing the same, please see a doctor! There is nothing to be ashamed about!
@literally45-- Something like that happened to me too and I realize that the cause is food.
When I'm not at school, I'm at home and my mom is cooking all day at home with onions, garlic and spices. Even when I don't eat this food, I've realized that when I'm around the kitchen, my clothes and even my hair absorbs the odor of the food. And when I go to school or to hang out with friends, I smell like onion and spices.
What I do now is I always keep my bedroom door closed so my clothes and belongings don't absorb the odors. I never go out of the house with the same clothes I wear at home. If I do cooking myself, I make sure to shower and wear fresh clothes before I leave.
This has eliminated my body odor completely. Maybe you should try the same and see if it makes any difference.
My friends say that I always smell weird but I have no idea why. I don't smell anything! I asked my mom and she said I smell fine too. I don't have excessive sweating or anything like that either. Why is this happening? I'm really upset.
A good deodorant is one without leaving residues and odors behind. I've been using Uarmsol deodorant for many years now and I have no more armpit odors. I applied one pinch and that's all there is to it for the whole day without worries about any smell afterwards. There's no chemicals, oil or fragrances added. No staining clothes, either. There's no after sport smell or odor masking. And the best thing is I don't have to shave!
I don't think one needs to use baking powder and its extras when baking soda alone (sodium bicarbonate a component of baking powder) is extremely effective against odors. I'll usually mix baking soda in with a low ingredient alcohol based hand-sanitizer and pour it into a roll-on container for easy application. No deodorant on the market has been as effective.
Don't waste money on pharmaceutical products. There are cheap and effective ways to get rid of body odor like charcoal soap and ammonium alum. I've been using it for years.
Is body odor considered a skin disease? what dwells in our underarm when it's sweat? fungi or bacteria?
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